From simulators to the real deal | JEV's blog

From simulators to the real deal | JEV's blog

If Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne was expecting a little peace and quiet after Monaco, he can guess again as he arrives in French-speaking Canada.

It’s great to be back in Montreal for a race that ranks among my favourite grands prix. Last year I had the chance to spend a bit of time here prior to the race and enjoy the amazing countryside but this time it hasn’t been possible and I’ve been pretty much flat out busy since I arrived.

Because I’m French there’s a lot of demand for me to do interviews and appearances in francophone Quebec and this week has been no exception, although sometimes the questions from the local media people, who aren’t experts on F1, are quite funny.

Today, for example, one guy asked me how we would cope with the experimental tyres we have here if the rain that is forecast for Friday arrives. I had to point out that in that event we’d naturally be using rain tyres…

The busy schedule started early this morning. I had to go to the École Polytechnique de Montréal first thing to talk to the students and media. The main part of my job there was to help with the FIA’s Action for Road Safety campaign by having a go on a driving simulator to demonstrate what happens when you don’t properly obey the rules of the road.

Naturally the result is a crash. It was quite good and made a relevant point, that everyone needs to pay attention when they’re driving and obey the rules.

The students I met at the Polytechnic are all involved in car design and they showed me around some of the projects they’ve been working on, including the solar-powered car they’re taking to a competition in Australia next month.

They asked me to sign the car, which was nice and I hope they have good luck when they head Down Under.

It was a bit of rush to get back to the track after that as I had another FIA duty to fulfil, appearing in the Thursday drivers’ press conference.

We made it though and got through a reasonably short Q&A session. One of the questions asked was to nominate my best memory of the race here.

After qualifying 20th and finishing 15th last year, as well as getting a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pit lane due to a problem with the limiter, I could only say that the holiday here last year is my best memory so far!

Naturally, I’ll be looking to change that this year. It’s certainly possible. The car is coming together now, getting better race by race and after Monaco I’m hopeful of transferring that form to this track.

However, it’s a completely different circuit and whereas Monaco was low speed, high downforce, it’s the opposite here.

It’s a great track though, a real race circuit and one I enjoy a lot. The walls are close, there isn’t a lot of margin for error and it’s an exciting lap with those long straights into hard-braking corners.

In the meantime, there’s Montreal to enjoy. I’m staying at a hotel on Rue de la Montagne, downtown, where all the F1-related action is. They close the streets here for race weekend and put on concerts and street parties.

The people here get really into F1, which is fantastic, and it’s entertaining just to look out the window of my room every evening. Unfortunately it’s about as close to a party as I’ll get before Sunday but hopefully after the race the team and I will have something to celebrate as well.